The present invention relates to a respiration sensor or monitor, useful to veterinarians, for sensing or monitoring the breathing of animals following removal from a gas anesthetic machine.
A gas anesthetic machine is often used by small animal veterinarians while performing surgery on an animal. Typically, the gas anesthetic machine is attached to an endotracheal tube so that the animal receives sufficient anesthesia. Following surgery, the animal is detached from the anesthetic machine, thus allowing the animal to be moved to a recovery area. However, the endotracheal tube remains in the animal to prevent accidental aspiration and to maintain a clear, open and dry air passageway during recovery. Recovery may vary from several minutes to several hours.
While in recovery, the animal must be monitored so that the endotracheal tube can be removed when the cough reflex returns in order to prevent the animal from choking. Thus, either the veterinarian or a trained staff member must remain with the animal for the indefinite recovery period. It is, therefore, desirable for a means of monitoring or sensing the animal's breathing, or return of the cough reflex, so that the endotracheal tube can be removed to prevent the animal from choking.
Although the prior art includes numerous types of breathing sensors, these devices are often sophisticated or rely on electrical circuitry. The present invention contemplates a simple, inexpensive, lightweight monitor that plugs into the open end of an endotracheal tube and emits an audible response directly corresponding to the depth, rate and force, or absence of respiration. Such a device should also be capable of signaling the return of the cough reflex. A relief valve is also available so that the monitor can be tuned to obtain a maximum audible response depending on the size of the animal.
It is an object of the present invention to sense or monitor the breathing of an animal.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a device which is simple, inexpensive and lightweight and which is releasably attachable to an endotracheal tube.
An object of the present invention is to also emit an audible response corresponding to the depth, rate and force, or absence, of respiration.
It is also an object of the invention to be adjustable in order to tune the monitor to the breathing capacity of different size animals in order to obtain maximum response.
These and other objects of the present invention will become apparent upon review of the drawings and detailed description of the preferred embodiment.